Acccording to the FSS report on CBN website on Saturday, the nation’s banks gave N1.537tn loans to oil companies and some state governments in the first six months of the year.

“The total exposure to the top 50 obligors stood at N5.23tn (33.4 per cent) of total industry credit exposure of N15.68tn,” the CBN said in the report.

Although the report did not give the identities of the 50 big bank debtors, it indicated that non-performing loans in the period under review grew by 158 per cent from N649.63bn at end-December 2015, to N1.678tn at end -June 2016.

The NPL ratio rose to 11.7 per cent from 5.3 per cent, thus exceeding the prudential limit of 5.0 per cent, it stated.

It also said that as of June ending 2016, loans to oil and gas sector by the banking sector had hit N4.5tn, representing 28.77 per cent of the total industry loan.

The CBN noted that the development did not augur well for the industry well-being.

The 81-page FSS report stated in part, “Credit exposure to the dominant sectors is as follows: 28.77 per cent to oil and gas sector; 12.95 per cent to manufacturing; 8.84 per cent to governments; and 8.69 per cent to general commerce.

“Credit risk is expected to trend higher into the second half of 2016 owing to increased loan impairments resulting from the depreciation of the naira, inability of obligors to service foreign currency-denominated loans, as well as bank exposures to the oil and gas sector.”

A total of N1.204tn loan was given to the oil and gas while N333bn was given some state governments within the six-month period.